


The Savior In The Shadow

by Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Eren can help him with that, First Meetings, Levi just wants to go home, M/M, Werewolf Eren Yeager, Werewolf Senses, human levi, kid Eren, kid levi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 05:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3965920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi was ten when he met the boy who could turn into a wolf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Savior In The Shadow

On the edge of the kingdom of Rose, sat a forest as thick as the carpets the royal family had imported every year. Made of plush furs and fabric so soft it was like walking on a cloud, one couldn't get something much thicker than that. The forest though, with it's towering trees and their huge, gnarled trunks, came very close. Everyone knew to avoid it. Even the edge of the sprawling kingdom stayed well away from the cast of its shadow, the houses built into the countryside forming a protective 'u' of sorts when coming into close quarters with the forest.

 _The forest only brought about bad things,_ the people said. _The forest was a dangerous place where only monsters roamed_ , the people whispered. _Don't ever get close to it, and if you do, don't ever get lost,_ the people warned.

At age ten, and with a father who was one of the famous few to enter the forest and live, Levi got lost.

* * *

_You mustn't leave my side,_ his father had warned. _No matter what, we need to stick together. However, if for some reason we get separated, climb a tree and blow your whistle, I will find you._

Those words rang through his ears, warm and comforting in nature. His father had told him what to do if he got lost, had told him that he would find him, but now, after what had to be hours of blowing his whistle and clinging to the large branch underneath him, Levi was scared. What if something had happened? Surely his father should have come for him by now? What if the wolves had gotten him? Or something worse?

Levi shivered. His father was strong, he tried to tell himself. He'd entered the forest and returned countless times and this would be no different.

Whether Levi would return with him or not however... Well that was a completely different story.

Trembling on his perch far from the ground, the cold seeping through the furs of his clothing to touch his skin, Levi tried not to cry.

 _You're a strong boy,_ his mother always told him. _You're far smarter than others your age and you never let the bad get to you._

 _He's a fighter,_ his father would agree.

He didn't feel like one. He was just a kid now, scared and cold and alone as the light began to drop away, casting the forest in an even more menacing light. Levi wanted to go home.

Lifting the whistle once more, small fingers shaking with cold, he blew. The soft sound it emitted, much like the gentle tweeting of a bird, filled the silence of the forest, easing the fear in his chest. However, with the rustling of the bushes below him, that fear came rushing back all too soon.

Levi stilled, blood rushing through his veins in terror as he stared down at the base of his tree. Whatever it was was small, shifting around in the leaf covered dirt and making no move to hide itself. It seemed to take ages before it suddenly bolted off in a random direction, disappearing into the shadows.

The relief left Levi in tears. He wanted to go home. He wanted to walk back into his house with his father and grin at his mother who would be waiting for them with a hot meal. He wanted to take a bath and slip into bed, warm and safe. He didn't want this. Didn't want to die out here, forgotten and alone. He didn't--

"Hi!"

The boy screamed. Jerking at the sudden voice, Levi flailed, letting out another cry as he began to fall off of his branch and into free fall. _Oh god,_ he panicked, his stomach in his throat as the ground rushed closer. _I'm going to die, I'm going--_

He gasped, flailing wildly as he was yanked back, the back of his coat caught between strong fingers as he was pushed onto another branch, this one slightly smaller.

"Well that was stupid," the voice mused, sounding both suspicious and disapproving. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Levi was almost afraid to turn around.

"Can't you talk?" The branch wiggled as something moved closer. "I've heard about people like that. Mother says it happens because of injuries. Are you injured?"

"I can talk!" Levi answered feebly, turning to glare at the owner of that voice. He was almost shocked enough to fall right out of his seat again.

The boy, who appeared to be about his age, and who had apparently saved him, stared back, blinking luminous green eyes back at him. His hair was tousled and dark, the lack of light making it hard to tell if it was brown or black, and it fell into his eyes haphazardly. "Are you crying?" He asked, seeming rather surprised. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not crying!" Levi snapped, rubbing at his eyes furiously. The attempt was rather futile, as more tears simply rushed to the surface, but the boy couldn't help but try to remain somewhat strong.

"Uh huh." The stranger sat back on his heels, cocking his head to the side. He resembled an animal like that, and Levi couldn't help but stare back at him, realizing somewhat belatedly, that he was missing a shirt.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked suddenly, frowning at the bare skin.

The other boy blinked. "No."

Levi's frown deepened. "But you're not wearing a shirt."

"And you are," He countered. "Does that mean you're hot?"

"I--No, of course not."

The boy looked rather pleased at that, letting out a satisfied "exactly" before resuming his silent staring.

Confused, still teary eyed and beginning to shiver harder than ever before, Levi curled into himself. "W-who are you? What do you want?"

"I'm Eren," the boy stated proudly. "I smelled you while I was running. Jean said that I couldn't find you but he's stupid and I found you anyways."

"Smelled?" Levi whispered, eyes wide.

Eren nodded eagerly, scampering closer. "You smell like soap," he told him, sniffing curiously at the air close to Levi's face. "and human. What are you doing here?"

Why did he say the word human as if he wasn't one? "I'm lost," he whispered, staring into those strange eyes.

"Lost?" Eren echoed, making a face as he backed away. He scratched at the back of his ear, tossing his head once he was done. "Humans shouldn't be lost in this forest. Someone might eat you."

"Eat me?" The boy shuddered, backing away from the other strange boy as much as possible. "Is that what you're going to do?"

Eren's bark of laughter was so startling Levi flinched. "Silly," he grinned. "I don't like human. They taste funny. Too much clothes and soap." He made a face then, one that reminded Levi of the time his father had eaten a batch of particularly salty biscuits, and found himself almost amused.

"Then what are you going to do with me?"

"Do with you?" Eren frowned, cocking his head.

"Are you going to kill me? Drag me somewhere? Make sure I never go home again?"

"Home!" Eren lit up, seeming to bypass everything Levi had just said. He wiggled slightly, darting forward to come almost nose to nose with the other boy once more. "You have a home, right? I'll take you to it!"

Levi's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes!" Eren nodded happily, teeth flashing as he gave pleased smile. "I'll take...?"

"Levi," he supplied, when he was given a questioned glance.

"I'll take Levi home!" Eren finished, jumping up excitedly. He tugged Levi with him, who wasn't too fond of the way the other boy was bouncing the branch around, and shot him an excited look.

"How are you going to take me home?" Levi asked cautiously, clinging to Eren's hand.

"First we climb down," he told him, tugging Levi towards the trunk. "Then you'll see."

"Right," the boy mumbled, letting go of Eren's hand reluctantly. With the hope of getting home and finally finding his father again, Levi's tears seemed to dry up. Even his shivers seemed to subside long enough for him to climb down the tree safely, Eren bounding from branch to branch after him in a fashion that didn't seem safe.

"Okay," Eren clapped his hands, flashing Levi a determined look. "Now I'll smell your way home."

Levi had barely a moment to question the word ‘smell’ before suddenly, before his very eyes, a small brown wolf took Eren's place. "Oh god."

The wolf stared at him, giving a soft yip in answer.

"This can't be happening," Levi whispered, backing away. "This isn't real..."

Eren whined, dropping low to the floor as he slunk towards Levi, ears drooping. The boy backed away until he couldn't anymore, back against a tree trunk and with no escape in sight. Closing his eyes, Levi took in panicked breaths, sure that this was where he would die.

Wolves were dangerous, even baby ones. Wolves killed so many, had left a scar or two on his father and they--

And they...

And they weren't supposed to lick your palm while whining almost as if hurt.

Levi opened his eyes.

Giving a little bark in return, Eren nudged his head harder into the boy's thigh. When Levi touched a hand to his head hesitantly, the wolf seemed to grin, wagging his tail happily before he turned, trotting a little ahead before stopping to glance back at the boy.

 _Follow me,_ his actions clearly said.

Levi sighed. Why not? What did he have to lose after all?

* * *

"This is..." Levi stared wide eyed at the glowing lights of the town. They were distant but there all the same, and the boy, cold and tired but no longer scared, couldn't have been happier to see them.

"Told you," Eren grinned, once again a boy as well. "Told you I could smell it."

And he had. "Thank you," Levi told him, hesitant as he stepped towards his home. Eren watched him, still grinning with a small fluffy brown tail wagging behind him. How he'd missed that before, Levi didn't know. "Are you... Going to be okay?"

"Silly human," the wolf(??) chided. "I'll be fine. Go home."

That, Levi found, was something he couldn't argue with. Though... "Will I see you again?"

Eren grinned, looking almost pleased at the fact that the human wanted to see him once more. "If you come back I'll smell you." He answered, nodding his head.

"Like soap and human," the boy murmured, stepping out of the tree line and onto the grass.

"Exactly," Eren told him, before with a yip he bounded back into the undergrowth, small body blending into the darkness.

A series of howls answered his excited cry, and Levi found himself shivering. He was glad to be home.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a couple ideas involving this verse but I dunno if I'll add to it  
> Tell me what you think?
> 
> You can also hit me up on my tumblr @ my101fragiledreams


End file.
